What Can I Do About Being Nervous Before a Media Interview?

This is a common question I get from people who are inexperienced when it comes to doing media interviews. I always talk about the need to prepare properly for an interview, but aside from that, it helps to think of it as a job interview and not a media interview.

When you're doing a media interview it's not really a conversation, as much as it may look like it. What you are really doing is making sure that you provide a specific and well thought out answer to each question. That's very different from a conversation, which is normally much more free flowing.

In a normal conversation you react to what the other person has just told you and you normally don't come prepared to talk about any particular topic, or deliver a specific message. That's why I suggest people think of an interview with the media more like a job interview. When you prepare for a job interview you anticipate the questions you'll be asked and also think about what your answers will be. As an example, you know you'll be asked about your experience related to the job you're applying for, so you prepare your response in advance and come ready to speak about what you did in related roles, how you developed, worked with others etc.

What tends to happen is you want the interviewer to ask specific questions because you're prepared with really good answers. Media interviews are much the same, but unfortunately many people dread dealing with the media. Remember, "you get better by doing" and you won't grow and develop skills without pushing yourself once in awhile.

A second suggestion to ease your nerves is to practice a few times before the actual interview. Get somebody you’re close with to play reporter and ask the questions you think you’ll get from the media. Answer those questions in the same way you plan to answer the reporter. The more that answers and phrases can become second nature to you, the more relaxed you’ll become. In addition, use a cell phone or tablet to shoot video of the practice interviews and then play them back to see how you answered the questions and what you look like.

If you get the chance, another suggestion would be to take a deep, cleansing yoga breath just before you start the interview. Once you let all that air out you’ll feel a lot better.

More than anything, it’s important to understand that less than 24 hours after the interview has been in the media, almost everyone who saw it on television or heard it on radio won’t remember who you are. They may remember the impression you gave them, but they likely won’t remember what you said or even what your name is.

We are all our own worst critics, but there’s no reason to believe the worst is going to happen when you do a media interview. Chances are the reporter just wants to get your opinion, pull a sound bite from the interview to add to his or her story, and move on.

Need to connect? Send me an email to get started.

ABOUT GRANT

Grant Ainsley spent close to 20 years in the news media and public relations in Edmonton, Alberta. Over the last decade he's worked as a media trainer and spoken across Canada on a regular basis on topics related to the news media and communications.

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